Bitrate: 320 kbpsComments:Link in comments. Hurry up if you want to grab it, since the file or this post will be deleted soon. If so, please let me know in comments or in the comments of any other post, so I reupload the file or repost this. Thanks.

This is the definitive, english version of my album. A few weeks after creating my MySpace account, a percussionist from southern Dublin, who was interested in forming a band, dropped me a message telling me that he had found my songs very good musically, but that they suffered from the spanish lyrics, and that the "Ramiro El Gay" motto played in detriment of the project, being it too "exotic" and divorced from the overall concept of the project. He suggested me to change it and to translate the lyrics to english. I was reluctant at first, but I finally decided to change the project's name, translate the lyrics (respecting the original lyrical content as much as possible), re-record the vocals and, by the way, fix quite a few mistakes that I hadn't figured out during the making of the album... it took like one month and a half, after recording the album, for me to find out. Some reviews helped me in this aspect; thank you!.

The new name, "Collapsing Realities", makes an allusion to a couple of things: on one hand, the lyrical content of the album, which was inspired by a number of people I came across in the last six or seven years, who've been through limit situations in their lives (one of them, the brother of an ex girlfriend, eventually comitted suicide in 2008). Even though "Atrocious Forms Of Happiness" is not a concept album per se, the lyrical thematic revolves around experiences of these closest, which affected me to varying degrees. Everything is sung in first person, to give more cohesion to the work. On the other hand, the new name makes another allusion to the current reality we are living in: a potential second Great Depression around the corner, peakoil, the recent natural disasters, etc..

Back to this new and definitive version of the album... the truth is, it sounds so much better in english. Now I understand all those non-anglosaxon bands that sing in english; I almost feel guilty for calling them faggots (but, hey, it was bloody worth the lulz). Many songs were notably altered: the first one, "The Happiest Saturdays Of My Life" ("Los Sábados Más Felices De Mi Vida" in the spanish version), sounds brighter thanks to some melodic resolutions, and the adding of some effects. "Atrocious Forms Of Happiness" ("Formas Atroces De Felicidad" in the spanish version) was a song that I completely fucked up due to a terrible vocal take, except for the beginning, and playing the wrong keyboard chord. It's the one that has been better off the most, I think. On the other hand, my vocal performance has improved a bit, but my voice is still very limited... I received some criticism about it, but it doesn't disturb me that much; Ian Curtis and Win Butler, for example, are two barely ok vocalists, but both Joy Division and The Arcade Fire are great bands for me. Transmitting and having good vocal melodies is what really matters, in my opinion; I do transmit and I think that my vocals melodies are good.

Well, that's it. I'd like to thank everyone who gave their opinion on the album, and a big fuck you to all those who brown nosed me everytime I updated this place, but never bothered to listen to my debut (Manué, Lord Charles H, Rochacrimson, etc.), uninventive trolls (can't you come up with something more original than "bastard" or "homophobe"?), and Carl (I bet you're a frustrated musician).

If you haven't given this album a listen, here you have the chance to hear the real thing. I hope you like it, and if not, thanks for listening anyway. Please; do not spread the original spanish version, it's simply subpar; spread this one instead. Thanks.

As you might have noticed, I've posted a huge amount of stuff for your enjoyment. The reason why I did this is that I'm moving to Dublin, Ireland, soon, and I'll have to find a place to live, a job, start a new band (see the post above) etc.. I don't know when will I be able to get another internet connection; it could be in a couple of weeks, three, or one month... and I don't want to keep this dormant for months, as it happened in may of last year, when I didn't update this for like a month and a half. So I've uploaded the mandatory seven albums of the week, like I do every sunday, plus 28 more, which is worth a month of updates... that is, 35 in total. You can't complain, huh?

The case of this obscure sympho prog band is quite strange: according to the booklet that comes with this LP, they were active between august of 1976 and early 1978, and the age of its members ranked among 16 and 23 years old. In 1977 they made a demo at their rehearsal room, which fell into oblivion until 1993, when the Madrid based shop/label Discos Melocotón decided to retrieve one of the tape copies of it. The book says that "the present album, has been reproduced from super worn out tapes that were copied in a car stereo for the use of the new members of the band, since only Pablo and Teddy were stable in the line-up. The recording (original or copy?) has been forgotten for years, therefore sometimes the music almost disappears, and it's been very hard to get an "almost" stable sound."

The LP was released on a single limited press of 500 copies on vinyl. Mine (the one I ripped and scanned for the occasion) is the number 91. No need to say that the band never released a proper studio album, or any more demos.Vinyl rip, never issued on CD. Available in FLAC format as well as MP3 at 320 kbps.

Comments:Flamenco is one of the missing links of andalusian rock. For any beginner, this sub-genre was born with Smash and became popular with Triana. I have to say that, personally, I disagree, and, even if there might be more links than the ones that I put forward, the evolution of andalusian rock goes a bit like this:

1964: Los Brincos are the first to mix rock with faux-flamingo with the song "Flamenco", featured on the band's debut LP from 1964. Since the members of the band were notanalusian, they really didn't play a real flamingo (note: contrary to popular belief, flamingo is not terribly popular beyond southern Spain. In fact, most people from other places of Spain neither like nor can sing flamingo... it is is a very special thing). Faux-flamingo beat, flamingo rock, flamingo pop...

1966: Sabicas breaks new ground with "Rock Encounter", an album recorded in the United States with Joe Beck. Flamingo rock, flamingo jazz, Psych flamingo, instrumental flamingo.

1967: american psychedelic legends Love mix anglosaxon pop with flamingo on their famous "Alone Again Or" single, the opener of the classic "Forever Changes" LP. Anglicized flamingo pop.

1968: another classic american act, The Doors, do their thing with the song "Spanish Caravan", featured on their terrific "Waiting For The Sun" album. Psychedelic anglicized flamingo.

1971: Smash release the "El Garrotín" single, with lyrics mostly in english and with a clearly anglosaxon flavour to it. Psychedelic anglicized flamingo. That same year, Sabicas makes another groundbreaking LP, "The Soul Of Flamenco And The Essence Of Rock". Instrumental flamingo rock, psych and prog.

1973: Carmen's debut album, "Fandangos In Space", comes out. Closer to the concept of andalusian rock, if it wasn't for the lyrics in english, and the overall anglosaxon flavour that impregnates all their output.

1973: Flamenco release this, their only LP. If they had chosen to follow the same path -instrumentally, at least- as Carmen -that is, a more intricate kind of prog, with more symphonism-, and were a little less tacky, we could be speaking of the true birth of andalusian rock.

So that's how I'd frame Flamenco in the evolution of andalusian rock. No need to say that their only album was a complete commercial flop, and it's been forgotten and ignored for more than three decades (with a cover like that... full spanish bizarro style). Nevertheless, a few years ago and thanks to internet, the band was rediscovered by some music lovers (among whom I include myself) and, finally, their LP was reissued on vinyl, much to my surprise.

Another aspect worth mentioning is that ex-members of Los Soñadores (one of the first bands where Tele Palacios, Triana's percussionist, played in) and Galaxia (a proto-prog act that just released of couple of singles - read above) played in Flamenco.By the way, the rip I'm offering is not the same as the one found on the Los Sonidos De Mi Mente blog, but one I got through a guy years ago. It sounds much better than that one.

Sub-genre: Andalusian rock (rock + flamingo), Triana clone, symphonic, pop.Comments:Obscure andalusian rock band formed in 1981. It wasn't until a decade later that the group managed to release this, their first LP, which has never been issued on CD. They disbanded some time later, and reformed in 2003. In 2005 they released a second -and also rare- album, "Sueño Zíngaro" (same title as the second track of this LP).

Downloaded from Los Sonidos De Mi Mente, reuploaded by Spanish Progressive rock.Vinyl rip, never issued on CD. Link in comments.

This "album" is a bit of a mess. In 1982, years after the band's breakup, an extremely limited twelve inch EP entitled "Funciona..." saw the light of day. See the first picture above. It consists in two lengthy tracks: "I Can't Quit You Baby" (almost twelve minutes long) on the A side, and "Improvisando Con Genio" (almost fifteen) on the B side. Of course, the original issue of this item goes for ridiculous amounts of money (I remember seeing a copy of it in the Tallers street in Barcelona for a lot of money).

On the other hand, in 2004 the Barcelona based label/shop Wah Wah retrieved, if I'm not wrong, all the recordings by Máquina! (both official and unreleased), and re-released them on vinyl exclusively. The items in question are: a reissue of "Why?" without extras, a reissue of "En Directo" along with the forementioned '82 EP as bonus, and a double compilation of singles, B sides and rarities entitled "...Funciona" (notice the suspension points on the left, instead of the right, unlike the '82 EP... does anybody get what I'm saying?). The reason why Wah Wah decided to confuse everybody using the same title as the old posthumous EP is beyond me, but, in any case, this double compilation is what we're talking about. The track list is as follows:

Side A:

1 - Lands Of Perfection (A side of the eponymous single)2 - Let's Get Smashed (B side of the "Lands Of Perfection" single)3 - Earth's Daughter (A side of the eponymous single)4 - Look Away Our Happiness (B side of the "Earth's Daugther" single - studio version, not the one featured on "En Directo", nor the bonus track from the CD edition of "Why?")5 - Thank You (B side of the "I Believe" single - that tune was already included in "Why?", so that's why they omitted it)6 - Fragment Del Primer Temps De La Simfonia Nº1 D'Enric Herrera (unreleased)

Side B:

1 - Chains (unreleased studio version of this track already featured in "En Directo")2 - Thoughts Of You Pt. 1 (unreleased)3 - Thoughts Of You Pt. 2 (unreleased)

Side C:

1 - Blues En Fa (unreleased studio version of this track already featured in "En Directo")2 - Sun Bring The Summer (A side of the eponymous single)3 - Burning Butts (B side of the "Sun Bring The Summer" single)

Side D:

1 - Take It Easy (A side of the eponymous single)2 - King Kong Rides Again (B side of the "Take It Easy" single)3 - I Can Only Fly But Very Well (unreleased studio version of this track already featured in "En Directo")4 - Peter Roar's Jam Session - Groovin With Soley Soley (bonus track, unreleased)5 - Peter Roar's Jam Session - Golden Future (bonus track, unreleased)In short, a true delicacy for any Máquina! aficionado.I've uploaded rips of both versions: the '82 EP and, obviously, the 2004 double compilation. All vinyl, none of this stuff has been issued on CD.Links in comments.

Sub-genre: Psych, acid folk, hard rock. Eclectic and pretty unique. Lyrics in catalan (a language spoken in Catalonia and Andorra; the duo hailed from the former).Comments:Remastered and remixed reissue with two bonus tracks that make almost twelve minutes. The first edition has already been posted before, but it has a much poorer sound and is only available as MP3's at 192 kbps. The one I'm offering this time has been ripped in APE format, as well as MP3 at 320 kbps.

Duo formed by Jordi Batiste (cult artist who played in the legendary catalan psych/proto prog bandMáquina! and Grup De Folk, among others) and Ia Clúa (ex-member of the mega obscure catalan proto prog band Estratagema). Their discography consists in two studio LP's (plus a couple of live ones), albeit only the first of them is the most memorable of the two: it is an eclectic cult album, highly praised even by foreign music lovers. The second one, "Chichonera's Cat", lacks both the progressive elements as well as that mystic aura that makes "Un Gran Día" a cult work.Thanks to Ricochetd for the APE rip. Links in comments.

This album has already been posted before, but it was at 160 kbps rip. This time, a lossless rip (in FLAC format) as well as a 320 kbps rip have been uploaded.Also, unlike the previous rip, this one I'm offering now is a vinyl one. The CD edition is very poor, both for its sound as well as its packaging. This new LP rip sounds so much better.

After the breakup of the cult band Solera/C.R.A.G., José María Guzmán joined Madrid sympho prog legends Módulos, with whom he stayed for a year. Shortly after leaving, he released this, his debut solo LP, an effort extremely influenced by the symphonic prog of the era. Two years later he formed Cadillac, a pop band that released five albums.Links in comments.

2006 remastered reissue on the K Industria label. The previous edition, from 1993, saw the light of day through PDI-Edigsa. That one has already been posted here as well, but what I'm offering on this post is the remastered reissue in FLAC and MP3 (at 320 kbps) formats."Dioptria" is one of the cornerstones of catalan rock, or the catalan-sung rock: it is, quite probably, the first substantial album made in this language. Also, it is a timeless classic of spanish rock, and it is almost unanimously regarded as Riba's best work. A lot has been said about it, so there's little I can contribute. Anyway, this is what the artist has to say (translated as literally as possible by myself):

"Dioptria -a double album served in two phases- marks the start of my solo career, immediately after the breakup of Grup de Folk. It is, also, I think, the first rock album made in catalan and in Catalonia. Regarding its content, it is a ferocious criticism at the little burgeois spirit and the christian-progressive family, understood as the basic cell of the society. “Dioptria I” is critical towards the woman, while the second volume goes against the man, but not so much, probably because I am one, it's more folky. In 1978 Edigsa revisited and reissued Dioptria I and II on a double LP. It was also reissued in 1992, but in compact disc (PDI)."Source: Pau Riba's official site (translated as literally as possible by myself)

On September 5th, 2006 (the same year that the K Industria label reissued this album), an event took place at the Auditori of Barcelona to pay tribute to Pau Riba and his magnum opus, under the "Dioptria V 2.1" motto. The tickets were sold out before the event took place; some of the most emblematic figures of the catalan music scene were present that night: Sisa, Jordi Sabatés (ex-member ofOM, Riba's backing band during the recording of this album, ex-Jordi Sabatés I Toti Soler, ex-Jarka, and many others) and Llibert Fortuny, plus some lesser known artists, such as Oriol Tramvia and Marc Parrot. Some of the others present that night were french artist Pascal Comelade, a few veterans from the "Dioptria" days, and even some councilors of the catalan government . Oh, and Pau himself, who looked like he attended the event kinda obliged.

2006 remastered reissue on the K Industria label. The previous edition, from 1993, saw the light of day through PDI-Edigsa. That one has already been posted here as well, but what I'm offering on this post is the remastered reissue in FLAC and MP3 (at 320 kbps) formats.Even thoughSisa never did progressive rock strictly speaking, he's a household name of the catalan music scene of the last forty years. He played in the legendary, unlabelable band Música Dispersa, he's friends with Pau Riba, and collaborated with different catalan progressive bands throughout his career.Between 1975 and 1977, Sisa released a trilogy of albums that is generally regarded as the best of his output: "Qualsevol Nit Pot Sortir El Sol" (1975), this one (1976) and the ambitious double LP "La Catedral" (1977). The latter is the most experimental of them all, with many songs with a length of around nine minutes.

Mega rare 7" single that, along with the "¡Salud!" LP, completes Julio Matito's discography. Well, the existence of a tape called "La Voz De Nuestras Manos", recorded by this ex-Smash member for the then-UGT labour union, has been discussed here, but I don't know if someone has it, or has even seen it. A visitor said he does.

Back to the single, it consists in two tracks with an aerage lenght of three minutes. It's never been issued on CD, so it's a vinyl rip, which I must thank José Antonio for.Available in FLAC format as well as MP3 at 320 kbps.Links in comments.

This album has already been posted before, but it was at 160 kbps rip. This time, a lossless rip (in FLAC format) as well as a 320 kbps rip have been uploaded.

"Licors" is, quite probably, Pau Riba's most progressive effort, and one of his most popular albums (albeit far from the monster classic "Dioptria"). Out of the many existing CD editions of this album, this 1996 remastered reissue is the one with the best sound, even better than the 2003 re-remastered re-rerelease, which suffers from quite a lot of compression.

According to the artist:

"Movieplay* invited me to play a gig in Madrid, which was eventually cancelled. With no money left to return home, the label offered us to make -to improvise, actually- a new album. Anyway, when we had just cut the basic tracks, they denied us any more funds and the album remained half finished, and we, castrated. Finally, about a year later, we got the chance of finishing it with Daevid Allen (Soft Machine, Gong, etc) in his Bananamoon Observatory of Deia Mallorca, with lots of imagination and a 4 track Revox. Here, in tune with him, we could use the collage technique that was had already rehearsed in “Dipotria I”, and for the first time I dug in what I'd later know was an electrical appliance studio. Also, in this opportunity, even though the album still belonged to Movieplay, I became familiarized with the ideas and techniques of self-production and self-releasing. Fonomusic reissued Licors on compact disc in 1996. The were also two subsequential special reissues on CD: a special remastered edition (Time-Warner/Dro), and a two-on-one reissue from 2003, with "2003 Electròccid àccid alquimistic xoc/Licors”, with the covers of both albums superimposed (CD, Time-Warner/Dro)."